B&Q’s Kinship Carer Policy

In January 2024, B&Q launched a new Kinship Carer Policy, becoming the first major high street retailer to become a gold standard Kinship Friendly Employer. Kinship, the leading kinship care charity in England and Wales, helped B&Q to achieve this.

The goal was to develop a policy which supports and reassures colleagues who unexpectedly come to care for a child of a family member or friend. The policy has ensured that:

• Colleagues in this situation are now entitled to the same leave and enhanced pay as those covered in B&Q’s enhanced maternity leave and adoption/surrogacy leave policies.
• B&Q have also extended enhanced paternity leave and pay to colleagues who are secondary kinship carers, if their partner is taking on the primary care responsibility.
• B&Q enhanced and improved other family friendly policies including neo-natal leave and pay, support for foster carers and more. 

B&Q have shared their Kinship Care Leave Policy which can be viewed here.

Alignment with the BRC D&I Charter’s Pledges

The BRC Diversity & Inclusion Charter emphasizes creating inclusive workplaces, supporting underrepresented groups, and fostering a culture of equality. B&Q’s Kinship Carers Policy aligns with Pledge 5 of the BRC Diversity and Inclusion Charter, where businesses are ‘committed to creating a respectful, inclusive work environment within which every employee has the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the company’s vision and values’.

Find out more about the BRC D&I Charter here.